Hi everyone,

- ThePrinter - I agree, I don't think we can be saving ourselves for the second part of the season either, surely we can't be choosing to play badly! I think it's far too early for us to be thinking about next year (though I'm sure the Club are), but again I agree with you that if things remain as they are, it will become too tiring to be winning the league from 5th or below. In terms of this year, obviously 9th is well below par but if we win our game in hand next Monday we will go up to 8th and will only be 2 points below Saints in 4th. It's important not to forget as well that we've played most of our games to date away from home, and we've already played Wire, Wigan and Saints twice. I understand people looking towards Mac for an answer but like I say I really believe that it's desperation which is causing these performances, and I think only the players can choose to let go of this and crack on. The problem is that you can't just drop half the team because then you're not giving anyone a fair chance at winning the next game - not the young players coming through, nor the players you keep. I also think he's right to keep faith in some of the senior players who could click at any time.

- tvoc - I've been waiting for someone to mention London!! London was a completely different situation to what we have at Leeds; guys don't play for London because they want to play there, they play for London because they want to play rugby, the loyalty is just not the same. Nor did they have the salary cap budget that we have (that is not the case this year). The league standings alone do not tell the story of that particular season, and where I have cited previous standings I have tried to tell a bit more of a story of that season.

If Wakefield turn us over next Monday, I dont for one minute think the crowd will be cheering the lads on! - Do you?

FFS.....who let Damo log in under this new user name?

London's record under McDermott is indicative of the direction he took them over the course of just over four full seasons and that's a longer spell in charge than any coach has been given at Headingley during the SL Era. Despite what you've said London have charted fairly respectable finishes despite the 'mercenaries' they've recruited during the SL Era prior to Brian McDermott's contribution: 4, 2, 7, 8, 11, 6, 8, 5, 10, 6 - a couple of above average finishes, a couple of below average finishes but overall pretty consistently somewhere in the mid-pack.

McDermott presided over a steady slide down the rankings except for the season they briefly stood still: 7, 9, 9, 11, 13 - Powell at least started to reverse the trend with the 12th placed finish last season although whether that will continue this year remains to be seen.

It's a personal trend McDermott is currently extending at what is one of the supposed have clubs. Can he turn it around? Can a club like Leeds take that chance or even afford to wait and see?

I'd highlight a Regular Round form-line through the clubs Leeds should be judged against, which over this latest switch-coach period have been Wigan, Warrington and St Helens.

2010 - Pl 6, Won 3, Drawn 0, Lost 3, Pts For 127, Pts Agst 161 (avg scr 21 - 27)

2011 - Pl 6, Won 0, Drawn 1, Lost 5, Pts For 108, Pts Agst 202 (avg scr 18 - 34)

2012 - Pl 6, Won 1, Drawn 0, Lost 5, Pts For 82, Pts Agst 202 (avg scr 14 - 34)

I'd say that amounts to a worrying record of diminishing returns as Leeds settle back amongst the teams making up the numbers. When Bradford started their slide they went 3, 5, 9, 10, 10 - Leeds have gone 1, 4, 5 and are looking like slipping lower still this season, is that the blueprint we should follow?

Had Tony Smith returned to Leeds in 2011 and coached the club to an identical 5th placed finish, a CC Final and the SL champions, then followed it up in 2012 with victory in the WCC, it would have been regarded by many on here as the second coming of the messiah.

Even 'Lenny the Kirkstaller' would have ditched Jesus for Smith.

McDermott stays IMO... he's earned it.

I can see why you'd say that.

He certainly seems to have made you happier.

Peacock's equal number of penalties given away to Webb's are I imagine more for sloppy technical offences in the many tackles he makes. Does 'Brian' really think that Webb's "agressiveness" in the form of petulant back chat makes up for agressiveness in the forwards ?

What are you talking about?

Since someone pointed out that we were in a similar position last year (getting stuffed by Saints and Wire at this stage of the season by 40 odd points) I have thought well maybe the lads will turn it around again and win matches at the important end of the season. BUT, I still can't get away from the fact that if this is true then the club are expecting fans to pay good money to watch sub-standard performances up to July. How do Leeds expect fans to keep turning up week after week to watch a team playing 2nd rate rugby. Attendances will suffer, having a knock-on effect throughout the club.

Of course Buderus was aggressive, he was on the front foot and made strong tackles infront of the gain line (you don't have to punch people to be aggrssive in rugby). Liam Hood is in his 20's, he's physically ready. Countless players have been brought into the team at this stage and have flourished - countless others have been loaned out recently and then disapeared.

And I'm glad you appreciate my definition of a hooker, anything to help Brian